I found a lump on Carter- need advice

[Maggiesmom]

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I found a lump on Carter's hind leg, near his hip. It is about the size of a ping-pong ball and firm. It is not on the skin like a lipoma/fatty tumor and it doesn't move around. It seems to be in the muscle. I took him to the vet yesterday. He aspirated the lump and said it was an epidermal inclusion cyst, which is benign. Upon examination, there were no suspicious cells to be seen. Some info:
http://www.cvm.tamu.edu/cancer/profe.../cytwork07.asp

He did not feel it needs to be removed at this time, in fact he was quite insistent on this. He wants me to monitor it. If it grows or changes, he will remove it at that time.

Now, I know needle aspiration is not always accurate. I have another appt. with another vet I've seen for a second opinion on Saturday. Now, do I insist on removal? I want to do the right thing and will do whatever that is. Now, I am sometimes over-cautious with my dogs. To me, though, Carter has a lump with no definitive diagnosis, and there is a small chance it could be harmful. It has grown over time, it did not used to be there. I'm afraid of just ignoring it. Do I wait and see if it gets worse and spreads, if it is indeed harmful? I do know of dogs who had lumps that turned out to be cancerous after an initial diagnosis of "it's probably nothing".

Have any of you been in this situation? Any advice?

[davet]

could be nothing but a sebaceous cyst but what ever it is, it should no be there..should not be a big deal to get it removed or exsized rather than take a chance....may be nothing but it is not supposed to be there...vet might be able to aspirate a larger amount and if a sebaceous cyst, it is no big deal to peel it out....

[Traci]

Agree with Davet, the aspiration may not have contained enough cells to differentiate against something else, or to be confirmative at all.

It is actually sebaceous cysts and similar types that are not so problematic and should most often be left alone. They can be aspirated or removed if they are actually bothersome or infected, but where your vet made the comments it is attached to muscle, I would be a bit suspicious and get that second opinion with full discussion of potential removal as soon as possible. The removed growth can be sent to a pathologist for confirmation. Depending on Carter's age, you can also opt for x-rays as an added diagnostic tool (to check for other growths or masses in or around vital organs). Not wanting to alarm you here, it's just common sense (and protocol if the dog is older).

[Maggiesmom]

Thank you, will be going for that second opinion tomorrow.

[Maggiesmom]

By the way, Carter is only six years old.

[Traci]

Dogs as young as two can have cysts, etc, but hopefully it's nothing serious for Carter. Post an update with your second opinion if you can, K?

[Maggiesmom]

Will do. Thanks for the advice.